Improvement in machines for assorting potatoes



D. A. & A E. BANKER. Machines for Asserting Potatoes.

N0.]47,301 Patented Feb.1Q.1874.

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' manners" UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID A. BANKER AND AMOS B. BANKER, OF SCHAGHTIOOKE, NEW YORK.

iMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR ASSORTING POTATOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,301, dated February 10,1874; application filed December 20, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID A. BANKER and AMOS B. BANKER, of Sohaghtieoke, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Assortin g Potatoes, of which the following is a specification:

Our machine consists of one or more long rollers or revolving shafts, a hopper, assorting-board, and grading-chutes so combined and arranged that the potatoes being shoveled into the hopper at one end, and caused to run along the asserting-board and the roller or rollers, the smaller ones will escape between the roller and asserting-board, while the larger ones will be discharged at the end.

The distance between the roller or rollers and the assorting'board increases from the head toward the tail, and the potatoes, escaping through the space, varying in size in the same measure, so that they can be separated into two or more grades by suitable partitions in the hoppers or other receptacles below.

In practice, the assorting board will be adjustable toward and from the roller, so as to change the grade at will. In this example, the potatoes are caused to pass along the assorting-board and roller by a spiral flange on the latter; but the same result may be produced by ar'anging them with suiticient descent for the movement to be affected by gravity.

Besides the assorting-rollers, we have, in this example, provided guard-rollers in connection with them, for preventing the potatoes from escaping over the top of the assorting-rollers, which they tend to do to some extent, in consequence oi the action of the assorting-rollers on them, by turning in the direction necessary to prevent crushing the potatoes against the asserting-board; but the guard-rollers will not be used in all cases.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a double machine constructed acording to our improvement; and Fig. 2 is a transverse s ectional elevation taken on the line a on, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

A represents the asserting-rollers, and B the assorting boards, which, in this example, are arranged horizontally on suitable frame,

0, with a hopper, E, at one end, into which the potatoes are supplied to be fed along between the boards and said rollers for the small ones to escape through the spaces F, which gradually widen from the head to the tail, when the large ones pass off through the spout G to a suitable receptacle, while the small ones fall into the hopper D, which may be divided into two or more parts, for grading the small potatoes falling into it. The assorting-rollers are provided with a spiral flange, I, in this case, to cause the potatoes to move along them; but, as before stated, the same may be done without'the flanges, by arranging for sufficient descent for the action of gravity. Above the asserting-roller is a guardrollcr, .1, which is to prevent the potatoes escaping over the assorting-rollers, which are of necessity caused to turn upward from the asserting-board, to prevent crushing the potatoes against the board. The guard'rollers are for the same reason arranged to turn so as to throw the potatoes from the asserting-rollers, as they would draw them in and crush them if they turned-the other way.

In this machine, the two asserting-rollers are geared together by the wheels K, and the guard-rollers gear with the internal rinis L of said wheels; but both may be geared in any other approved way.

A hand-crank will suflice for turning the rollers; but other contrivances may be used.

The hopper sides or other chutes over which the potatoes pass may have slats a, or be provided with riddles or screens of any kind, for sepa-"ating the particles of earth and other matters from the potatoes.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Iate11t-- 1. The combination of a roller and an assorting board, substantially in the manner herein described, for asserting potatoes.

2. The combination of the guard-roller J with the spirally flanged or grooved assorting roller A and asserting-board B, substantially as specified.

DAVID A. BANKER. AMOS l3. BANKER.

Witnesses:

ALPHONZO Mnnentn, E. MORGAN Gone-non 

